The Los Angeles Lakers looked pretty impressive when they took on Israeli ball club Maccabi Haifa at the Staples Center, winning by a mile (126–83).
Now, in that game, Russell was doubtful to play. Russell fell hard in the Lakers preseason game against the Utah Jazz that resulted in a bruised glute. But apparently, the rookie guard is good to go and he did provide Lakers fans a glimpse of what to expect.
He did hit jump shots in rhythm, but it was his passing that really showed. When the smoke cleared, Russell finished with 11 assists as he did his share in the one-sided match.
Now, it must be remembered that all these games are preseason. The real deal starts near the end of the month when the NBA regular season opens. Russell is expected to give it his all, but may need to be smart once he officially journeys as a professional basketball player.
Getting injured is something that is hard to avoid; if Russell wants to flourish, he will need to play smart. Being a point guard, he is expected to orchestrate and make his teammates look good. When the occasion opens, he can, of course, shoot the jumper or even drive to the basket.
In all, it seems that if Russell can keep himself out of harm's way, he will be just fine. Russell doesn't need to pressure himself, make crazy shots or overdo the hustling bit. An injury is costly, and he may want to check how teammate Julius Randle dreaded falling to injury right in his very first game as a pro player.
Of course, the two play different positions, but the injury bug can bite at a time you least expect it to. He may be a rookie, but Russell is obviously someone the Lakers are banking on.
That is the reason why he was selected over a big man in the recent NBA Rookie Draft. So now, it is his turn to do his part — stay healthy.
